Display container



May 5, 1964 B. RUDES 3,131,809

DISPLAY CONTAINER Filed April 23, 1962 -2 Sheets-Sheet l L J l l2 6 INVENTOK .BERA/AQD RUDES BY Mwib Mme v66 May 5, 1964 B. RUDES DISPLAY CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 23, 1962 INVENTOR. BEE/VA 2D RULES BY M MS A T ORA/EYS United States Patent 3,131,809 DTSPLAY CGNTAENER Bernard Rudes, 88 Haven Ave, New York 32, N31. Filed Apr. 23, 1962, Ser. No. 189,641 2 Claims. (Cl. 20645.34)

This invention relates to a display container and refers more pmticularly to a display container which has a deformable outer covering, the contour of which can be varied to give different shapes to the container, thereby enhancing its esthetic character.

Containers wherein various types of merchandise as, for example, foodstuffs are packaged, are frequently given special eye appealing shapes. This factor helps to generate consumer interest in the merchandise and thus contributes to better saleability. Furthermore, many of the containers are made transparent, so that the merchandise is readily visible to the consumer for inspection. This is also important in that it eliminates the need in many cases for opening fresh packages when a consumer merely wishes to examine the contents of the container.

It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to provide a display container the contour of which can be changed at will for esthetic purposes.

Another object is to provide a display container which is transparent in addition to having a changeable contour.

A further object is to provide a display container which by reason of its being capable of having diilerent attractive shapes enhances the saleability of the merchandise with which it is used.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a display container which is simple and economical to make.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent in the course of the following specification.

The aforementioned objectives of the present invention are achieved by the provision of a display container which has a housing comprising an elongated hollow cylinder which is open at both ends and which fits concentrically within another shorter hollow cylinder the ends of which are also open. The cylinders are rotatable with respect to each other and they can be moved axially with respect to each other for a limited distance. The two cylinders are made of a transparent material and the remote ends of the two cylinders are sealed with removable cover plates. The outer surfaces of the two cylinders are covered with a resilient wrapper sheet which has two longitudinally offset margins and a plurality of close adjacent ribs extending angularly between the margins. One margin of the wrapper sheet extends around and is firmly connected to the surface of the longer cylinder adjacent its open end. The other margin of the wrapper sheet extends around and is firmly connected to the surface of the shorter cylinder adjacent its open end. The ribs of the wrapper sheet thus extend around the cylinders in a helical path in contact with the cylinders when they are in a shortened position. By rotating one of the cylinders a quarter turn with respect to the other cylin der, the ribs of the wrapper sheet will expand outwardly from the cylinders in a bulbous shape, there being openings between adjacent ribs so that the transparent cylinders, and hence the merchandise therein will be readily visible. By elongating the cylinders, that is by moving the cylinders axially as if to withdrawthe longer cylinder from the shorter cylinder, the bulbous shape of the ribs will be transformed to one wherein the central portions of the ribs are flattened to lie in spaced substantially parallel relation to the cylinders while the terminal portions of the ribs will curve inwardly toward the remote ends of the cylinders. Another variation in the shape of the wrapper sheet may be achieved by rotating one of the cylinders three-quarters of a turn with respect to the other. In this case the ribs will bulge outwardly from the containers for a short distance adjacent the wrapper sheet margins, while the central portion of the ribs will wrap tight against the cylinders in a helical path. Other variations in the shape of the ribs, and hence variations in the display container contour, may be accomplished by rotating the cylinders with respect to each other, or by moving them axially with respect to each other, or by a combination of these movements.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing, by way of example, a preferred embodiment of the inventive concept.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of the cylinders comprising the display container housing constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a central sectional View of the housing shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along line 1TI III of FTGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the wrapper sheet which covers the outer surfaces of the housing shown in FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the display container of the present invention, the wrapper sheet being shown firmly connected to the housing with the cylinders thereof in a shortened position.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the display container shown in FIGURE 5, the cylinders having been rotated one-quarter turn to effect a bulging of the wrapper sheet ribs.

FIGURE 7 is the same as FIGURE 6 except that the cylinders have been elongated with respect to each other to effect a different shape to the wrapper sheet ribs; and

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the display container shown in FIGURE 5, showing the contour eiiect resulting from rotating the cylinders three-quarters of a turn with respect to each other.

Throughout the specification, like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts.

The component parts of the display container are shown in FIGURES l to 4 of the drawings. The assembled container 10 showing the various shapes and contours which may be effected thereto, is illustrated in FIGURES 5 to 8. Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 2, the container comprises a hollow elongated cylinder 11 which is open at both ends, and which fits concentrically within another shorter hollow cylinder 12 which is also open at both ends. The longer cylinder 11 is rotatable within cylinder 12 and is also free to move axially within cylinder 12 for a limited distance. The relative axial positions of the cylinders 11 and 12 in an elongated condition are shown in FIGURE 2 in solid lines, while the shortened condition elfected by moving cylinder 11 is illustrated in broken lines.

displacement of the cylinders is controlled and limited by margins 19 and 2t}.

The relative axial the after described wrapper sheet 13 (FIG. 4). The openings at the remote ends of cylinders 11 and 12 are sealed by removable cover plates 14. and 15, respectively. The cover plates 14 and 15 are only slightly smaller in diameter than the inner diameter of the cylinders. The cover plate 15 is held securely in place by the Weight or" merchandise placed within the container which presses the cover plate 15 tightly against the inturned annular flange 16 at the remote end of the cylinder 12. The cover plate 14 will be supported on top of the merchandise and will also engage the inner walls of cylinder 11, being retained inside cylinder 11 by the inturned annular flange 17. In order to insert and remove the cover plates it is necessary that they be of a resilient material, preferably of cardboard or a plastic. Cover plate 14 may be provided with a string loop 18 to facilitate its removal from the container.

p The cylinders 11 and 12 are made from a transparent material, preferably a clear plastic.

The wrapper sheet 13 illustrated in FIGURE 4 is a very thin (approximately gauge) sheet of a resilient material, preferably plastic to which a color coat has been applied. The wrapper sheet 13 has parallel, offset Extending between the margins are angularly arranged parallel ribs 21. The ribs 21 which are integral with the margins are formed by cutting a plurality of slits 22 in the sheet as shown. Each margin of the sheet has a tab 23. As seen in FIGURE 5, the wrapper sheet 13 is wrapped around the cylinders 11 and 12, with the margins 19 and 2t) firmly connected to the outer surfaces of cylinders 11 and '12, respectively, andadjacentthe remote ends of the cylinders. When the wrapper sheet 13 is wrapped around the cylinders, the tabs 23 on the margins 19 and 29 will lie on opposite sides of the cylinders. The wrapper sheet must be connected to cylinders 11 and 12 when they are in the shortened position shown inbroken lines in FIGURE 2. Thus, the ribs 21 will bear flat against the outer surfaces of the two cylinders 11 and 12, and since they extend between the margins at an angle, will traverse a helical path on the cylinders as seen in FIGURE 5. In the latter condition, therrios 21 will cover substantially the entire surface of the cylinders 11 and 12, so that the interiors thereof Willnot be visible.

In use: V

p The display container 10 is intended for use with products such as candy, bath salts, etc., which in themselves have a visual appeal to the consumer. The container 1G is filled with a quantity of product and then the top thereof is sealed by inserting cover plate 14, the bottom coverplate having been previously installed. Whenit is desired to place the container on display, its appearance may be changed in various ways by manipulating the cylinders 11 and 12 in rotation and axial displacements. For example, in FIGURE 6 there is seen one eliect which may be producedby rotating cylinder 11 one-quarter turn within cylinder 12. In this example the cylinders are in the shortened position, The rotation of cylinder 11 also causes margin 19 of the wrapper sheet to rotate with respect to margin 29. The'efiect of this is to reduce the span between the ends of the various ribs Zl. With this span reduced, the ribs 21 will spring outwardly from the surfaces of the cylinders and will assume the bulbous shape shown in FIGURE 6. Furthermore, the wrapper sheet will have spaces 24- between adjacent ribs 21, so that the transparent cylinders and hence the product therein is visible. It is thus apparent that the attractiveness of the display container has been enhanced by giving it an eye-appealing contour. Another variation in the conto'nr'of the container 1% may be seen in FIGURE 7. This variation is accomplished merely by elongating the cylinders 11 and 12 to the position shown in solid lines 4 in FIGURE 2, the cylinder 11 having been previously rotated one-quarter turn in the same manner as previously described. The effect. produced is to flattenout the bulbous shape of the ribs 21 as shown in FIGURE 6 to that shown in FIGURE 7. Still another shape may be achieved to vary the esthetic character of the display container by the maximum rotation of cylinder 11 (threequarters of a turn) with respect to cylinder 12, the cylinders being in the previously described shortened position. This results in the contour shown in FIGURE 8 from which it is seen that the central portions of ribs 21 wrap tight against the cylinders in a helical path, whereas the terminal portions of the ribs bulge out in a curved path outwardly of the cylinders. Obviously, other,

eliects may be achieved by the combination of rotating cylinder 11 a lesser degree and sliding it simultaneously within cylinder 12.

It is believed, therefore, that the present invention provides a display container which'has wide utility inasmuch as its general contour can be varied at will While at the same time it is simple and inexpensive to make.

While there is above disclosed but one embodiment of the display container, it is possible to produce still. other embodiments without departing from the inventive con cept herein disclosed.

What is claimed is:

l. A display device, comprising an elongated transparent cylinder having an open top and bottom, another shorter transparent cylinder having a closed bottom and receiving a lower portion of the first-mentioned cylinder, the inner diameter of the second-mentioned cylinder being substantially equal to the outer diameter of the firstmentioned cylinder, the interior of the two cylinders being adapted for holding merchandise to be displayed, the two cylinders being rotatable relatively to each other about their common central axis and being slidable axially relatively to each other, a cover removably closing the top of the first-mentioned cylinder, and a wrapper consisting of'a bendable sheet material and enclosing the sides of the two cylinders, said wrapper having a 'conplurality of resilient rib-like strips the outer configuration of which may be'varied by varying the relative positions of the two cylinders;

2. A display device, comprising an elongated transparent cylinder having an open top and bottom, another shorter transparent cylinder having a closed bottom and receiving a lower portion of the first-mentioned cylinder, the inner diameter of the second-mentionedcylinder being substantially equal to the outer'diameter of the first-mentioned cylinder, the interior of the two'cylinders being adapted for holding merchandise to be displayed, the two cylinders being rotatable relatively to each other about their common central axis and being 'slidable axially relatively to each other, a cover removably closing the top of the first-mentioned cylinder, and.

a wrapper consisting of a bendable sheet material and enclosin the sides of the two cylinders, said wrapper having a continuous annular top margin firmly connected with the outer surface of the first-mentioned cylinder adjacent the top thereof and having a what one end thereof, a continuous annular bottom margin firmly connected with the outer surface of thesecond-mentioned cyl nder adjacent the bottom thereof. and having a tab at that end thereof which is closest to said one'end of the top margin, said two margins being parallel and 0133- set relatively to each other, the two tabs being located substantially diametrically opposite each other upon said cylinders, and an integral portion extending between said two margins and devoid of connection with the two cylinders, said portion having a plurality of parallel equidistant slits extending at an acute angle to and between said two margins, said slits dividing said portion into a plurality of resilient rib-like strips the outer configuration of which may be varied by varying the relative 10 positions of the two cylinders.

Murdock Feb. 17, 1953 15 6 Baskerville Feb. 26, 1901 Bircher Feb. 2, 1904 Parmele May 24, 1910 Anchors June 22, 1926 Marsh Nov. 17, 1931 Benzinger Oct. 31, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Sept. 2, 1899 France Sept. 2, 1953 Great Britain Aug. 18, 1954 Denmark July 7, 1958 

1. A DISPLAY DEVICE, COMPRISING AN ELONGATED TRANSPARENT CYLINDER HAVING AN OPEN TOP AND BOTTOM, ANOTHER SHORTER TRANSPARENT CYLINDER HAVING A CLOSED BOTTOM AND RECEIVING A LOWER PORTION OF THE FIRST-MENTIONED CYLINDER, THE INNER DIAMETER OF THE SECOND-MENTIONED CYLINDER BEING SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE OUTER DIAMETER OF THE FIRSTMENTIONED CYLINDER, THE INTERIOR OF THE TWO CYLINDERS BEING ADAPTED FOR HOLDING MERCHANDISE TO BE DISPLAYED, THE TWO CYLINDERS BEING ROTATABLE RELATIVELY TO EACH OTHER ABOUT THEIR COMMON CENTRAL AXIS AND BEING SLIDABLE AXIALLY RELATIVELY TO EACH OTHER, A COVER REMOVABLY CLOSING THE TOP OF THE FIRST-MENTIONED CYLINDER, AND A WRAPPER CONSISTING OF A BENDABLE SHEET MATERIAL AND ENCLOSING THE SIDE OF THE TWO CYLINDERS, SAID WRAPPER HAVING A CONTINUOUS ANNULAR TOP MARGIN FIRMLY CONNECTED WITH THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE FIRST-MENTIONED CYLINDER ADJACENT THE TOP THEREOF, A CONTINUOUS ANNULAR BOTTOM MARGIN FIRMLY CONNECTED WITH THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE SECOND- 